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PM Modi’s visit to Abu Dhabi was largely aimed at boosting President Sheikh Mohamed’s morale

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi’s May 15 stopover in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coincided with the conclusion of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China and the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi. These developments took place under the shadow of the war in West Asia.

Two questions arise: How did the UAE get embroiled in the ongoing conflict? What was the purpose of PM Modi’s meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (popularly known as MbZ)?

Ever since seven emirates formed the UAE in 1971, it has been stuck between Iran, covering the entire northern Gulf coast, and Saudi Arabia — a self-proclaimed regional and Islamic power — in the south. In the 1950s, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan — who later became Abu Dhabi’s ruler and the UAE’s first President — confronted the Saudis when they offered him a bribe to grab the Buraimi belt, which was believed to have huge oil deposits. He led Abu Dhabi’s forces in ejecting them.

Sheikh Zayed used native wisdom to steer the UAE towards prosperity by avoiding entanglement in regional disputes like the Iran-Iraq war and the occupation of Kuwait by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. After Sheikh Zayed’s death in 2004, his younger son Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan first became the Crown Prince and then the de facto ruler when the elder son, Sheikh Khalifa, suffered a stroke in 2014. Sheikh Mohamed formally assumed presidency in 2022.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a parallel rise, assuming office in 2017. President Sheikh Mohamed took him under his wing, especially protecting him from US ire over journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 killing in Turkey.

However, their relationship soured when US President Trump came up with the 2020 Abraham Accords. They envisaged an Arab-Israel alliance to contain Iran, with the Palestinian issue sidelined. While the UAE promptly signed alongside Bahrain, the Saudis demanded that Israel first specify the path to Palestinian statehood. Trump withdrew the US from the Joint Comprehensive Programme of Action (JCPOA), the Iran nuclear deal signed by P5+Germany. That allowed Iran to escalate its nuclear enrichment. Meanwhile, the UAE increased its commercial, technological and military engagement with Israel.

After the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and the brutal Israeli retaliation against Gaza civilians, Arab countries’ membership of the Abraham Accords became questionable. Neither the UAE nor Bahrain withdrew. Late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called the UAE a “traitor to Arab states and to Palestine“, declaring that those hosting Zionists were living in “glasshouses”.

The UAE and Bahrain ignored these warnings. Once the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, the Iranian Supreme Leader’s “glasshouses” prediction came true. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has split into three groups, each aligned with the US. One group comprises Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey. Qatar is attempting to be neutral. And then there is the UAE, stuck with the Israel-US axis. India favours the last two.

The Washington Institute for Near East’s 2023 poll revealed that 96% of the Saudis supported severing ties with Israel. The Saudi ruling family, running a country with a population of over 35 million, is more responsive to popular sentiments. The UAE’s nearly 11-million population has only one million locals. Economic and financial benefits are supposed to keep locals appeased. The 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, which ousted the rulers of Libya, Algeria and Egypt, frightened the Gulf ruling families. When the Muslim Brotherhood assumed power in Egypt, the Gulf rulers, especially Emiratis, panicked. Subsequently, they became obsessed with countering the Brotherhood and Islamists in the Arab world.

The UAE’s interventions to support factions in South Yemen, Somaliland, Sudan and Libya were basically focused on containing perceived radical Islam. Saudis and Emiratis initially cooperated but eventually split. Saudis supported old regimes, while the UAE began backing factions. Israel also began using the cover of the UAE to launch intrusions, especially along the Red Sea. Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen opposed the often divided forces backed by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Former US President Barack Obama claimed that he rejected the same plan to attack Iran which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu successfully sold to President Trump. Perhaps PM Modi, who visited Israel days before the attacks on Iran, and the UAE President were similarly misled. Israel’s four-stage operation started with the Iranian Supreme Leader’s assassination, followed by neutralisation of Iran’s missile-launch capability. A popular uprising was then expected, leading eventually to a secular government. This regime change sequence failed miserably. Instead, the Strait of Hormuz became a new obstacle.

Despite the UAE’s discomfort over being geographically stuck between Iran and Saudi Arabia, it hosted about 8,000 Iranian companies. It also provided Iran a trade outlet, bypassing US sanctions, lifting trade to $29.2 billion in 2025. But President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed wanted the UAE’s strategic reach to match its wealth. The Emirati sovereign fund exceeds that of Saudi Arabia. Israel was seen as enabling this expanded influence to deter Iran and rival Saudi Arabia. Instead, Israel has dragged the UAE into the current impasse.

Even the US has abandoned talk of Iranian regime change. Trump, who is now insistent that Iran should not have nuclear weapons, is keen to restore navigational freedom in the Strait of Hormuz. If sanctions on Iran are lifted and its energy exports freed, will it normalise Iran-UAE relations? Without that deal, Dubai cannot revert to past success. Netanyahu complicated matters by revealing his secret meeting with the UAE President in Abu Dhabi in March. Does Netanyahu, by damaging the Emirati President’s standing, hope to ensure that the UAE does not abandon the Abraham Accords or cut a deal with GCC neighbours or even Iran?

PM Modi’s visit was aimed more at boosting the UAE President’s morale than creating new strategic openings. The proposed $5-billion investment in Indian infrastructure mostly goes to a private housing development company. The move to enhance Indian strategic petroleum reserves by 30 million barrels is welcome, but it merely implements old proposals. The LPG supply would depend on the Iran-US peace deal.

Considering the fractured GCC and Pakistan’s defence agreement with the Saudis, India is left with the Abraham Accords-compliant faction or “neutral” nations like Qatar. Notably, during his visit to Delhi last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested that the Chabahar port awaited India.

The Gulf Sheikhs must begin, like Kuwait, to gradually introduce democratic rights. Discussion and debate minimise the chances of recurrence of strategic mistakes.

Refuses to recall verdict on relocation and sterilisation of stray canines at public places

As incidents of stray dog bites and attacks continue to occur across India with “alarming frequency and severity”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, for the first time, allowed euthanasia of rabid, incurably ill or demonstrably dangerous stray dogs to curb the threat to human life.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, however, made it clear that such action might be taken only after assessment by veterinary experts and strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and other applicable statutory protocols.

The Bench, which also included Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria, refused to recall its November 7, 2025 directions that stray dogs picked up from public places such as hospitals, bus stands, schools and railway stations must not be released back to the same locations after vaccination or sterilisation.

“This court cannot remain oblivious to the deeply disturbing ground realities emerging from various parts of the country where young children and elderly persons have been attacked, ordinary citizens have been left vulnerable in public places, and even international travellers have fallen victim to such incidents,” it said.

The court dismissed applications seeking modification of its directions issued in November last year in a suo motu case concerning the stray dog menace. Holding that stray dogs did not possess an “indefeasible or absolute right” to occupy all categories of public spaces irrespective of their nature and use, the top court clarified that the statutory framework for humane management of stray dogs could not be interpreted as conferring a perpetual right of occupation in sensitive institutional spaces.

The right to live with dignity encompassed the right to move freely without the threat of harm from dog bite attacks, it said, directing states and UTs to ensure implementation of its earlier order that dogs picked up from public places should not be returned to the same spots after vaccination or sterilisation.

Ordering states and UTs to strengthen the animal birth control framework, the court said erring officials who failed to implement the directions would be liable for contempt and disciplinary action.

“Article 21 necessarily encompasses the right of every citizen to move and access public places without living under a constant apprehension of physical attack or exposure to life-threatening events such as dog bites in public areas. The state cannot remain a passive spectator where preventable threats to human life continue to proliferate despite statutory mechanisms specifically designed to address them,” it said.

“The Constitution does not envisage a society where children, elderly persons and vulnerable citizens are compelled to survive at the mercy of physical strength, chance or circumstance due to failure of the state machinery,” the court added.

The top court directed high courts across the country to register suo motu writ petitions to monitor compliance with its directions through continuing mandamus proceedings.

However, it clarified that high courts would be free to expand or tailor the scope of directions depending on local conditions and exigencies, without diluting the intent of the Supreme Court’s order.

“The jurisdictional courts shall be empowered to take appropriate action, including contempt proceedings, against erring officers responsible for non-compliance, inaction or wilful disregard of this court’s directions,” it said.

Issuing a fresh set of directions for implementation of its earlier orders, the court asked states and UTs to establish at least one fully functional Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre in every district, equipped with adequate infrastructure, trained personnel, surgical facilities and supporting logistics.

It also directed authorities to undertake comprehensive capacity-building measures, including training personnel, augmenting veterinary services, strengthening shelter facilities and conducting vaccination drives in coordination with relevant departments.

The court further asked governments to ensure adequate availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin in all government medical facilities and put in place an effective public health response mechanism for dog-bite cases.

The Bench directed the National Highways Authority of India, in coordination with states and UTs, to formulate and implement a comprehensive and time-bound mechanism for addressing the presence of stray and other animals on national highways and expressways.

This includes deployment of specialised transport vehicles for safe handling and relocation of street cattle and other animals, creation of shelter facilities, and coordination with animal welfare organisations.

“No FIR or criminal proceeding shall ordinarily be initiated against officers in respect of bona fide action undertaken for implementing directions of this court, except where a prima facie case of mala fide intent and gross abuse of authority is made out,” the Bench said.

A spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, tells the media in Quetta that the operation, which began on May 13, saw the deaths of 35 terrorists over the past 4 days

Pakistani security forces killed 35 terrorists and captured three high-profile senior commanders during an ongoing intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Mangla Zarghoon Ghar area.

A spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, told the media in Quetta on Sunday night that the operation, which began on May 13, saw the deaths of 35 terrorists over the past four days.

“The operation was against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and their proxy groups in Balochistan,” Rind said.

Rind mentioned that the three captured commanders are high-profile figures, and the operation was conducted based on intelligence gathered from previously captured militants in the province.

“The security forces also destroyed several base camps in the Mangla Zarghoon Ghar region,” he added.

He noted that additional operations are under way in the province, based on credible, actionable intelligence aimed at apprehending the facilitators, handlers, and financial supporters of these terrorist elements.

The Pakistan military is yet to release a statement regarding this latest anti-terror operation.

Last Wednesday, five soldiers, including a major, were killed during a clean-up operation against terrorists in Balochistan’s Barkhan district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, which also stated that at least seven terrorists were killed during that operation.

The collision involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington

All four crew members ejected safely after two Navy jets collided and crashed Sunday during an air show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho, officials said.

The collision involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said Cmdr Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet.

The aircraft were performing an aerial demonstration when the crash occurred, Umayam said in a statement. The four crew members from both jets safely ejected, and the crash was under investigation, she said.

The crew members were in stable condition, base officials said.

Nobody at the military base was hurt, said Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show.

Everyone is safe, and I think that’s the most important thing,” Sykes said.

Planes fell to the ground together

The base said in a social media post that it was locked down immediately following the crash. The remainder of the air show was cancelled.

Videos posted online by spectators showed four parachutes opening in the sky as the aircraft plummeted to the ground near the base about 50 miles (80 kilometres) south of Boise.

The EA-18G Growler is a variant of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet with sophisticated electronic warfare systems.

Shane Ogden said he was filming the two jets as they came close together. A video he captured shows the two aircraft appear to make contact and then spin in tandem as the crew members eject and their parachutes open. The planes then fall together, exploding into a fireball upon impact as the crew members drift to the ground nearby.

“I was just filming thinking they were going to split apart, and that happened, and I filmed the rest,” Ogden said in a text message. He said he left soon after the crash because he did not want to get in the way of emergency responders.

Organisers said the popular air show that includes flying demonstrations and parachute jumps is a celebration of aviation history and a look at modern military capabilities. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron headlined the show both days.

The National Weather Service reported good visibility and winds gusting up to 29 mph (47 kph) around the time of the crash.

Little room for error

It was remarkable that both crews were able to eject from their planes, and aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said that may have been possible because of the way the planes collided and appeared to remain stuck together in midair before falling to Earth. Crews usually don’t have a chance to eject in a midair collision, he said.

“It’s really striking to see,” Guzzetti said. “It looks like they struck each other in a very unique fashion to cause them to remain intact and kind of stick to each other, and that very well could have saved them.”

“It appears to be a pilot issue to me. It doesn’t look like it was a mechanical malfunction,” he added. “Rendezvousing with another aeroplane in formation flight is challenging, and it has to be done just right to prevent exactly this kind of thing.”

Aviation safety expert John Cox, who is CEO of Safety Operating Systems, said the pilots who perform at air shows are among the best, but there is little room for error.

“Air show flying is demanding. It has very little tolerance,” Cox said. “The people who do it are very good, and it’s a small margin for error. I’m glad everybody was able to get out.”

This year’s Gunfighter Skies event was the first at the base since 2018, when a hang glider pilot died in a crash during an air show performance.

In 2003, a Thunderbirds aircraft crashed while attempting a manoeuvre. The pilot, who was not hurt, was able to steer the plane away from the crowd and eject less than a second before it hit the ground.

The air show industry has been working to improve safety for years at the roughly 200 events held each year in the US. The last fatal crash at an air show came in 2022 when two vintage military planes collided at an event in Dallas and killed six people.

An average of 3.8 deaths a year occurred at US air shows from 1991 to 2006, said John Cudahy, president and CEO of the International Council of Air Shows. That fatality rate has been improving, and since 2017, there have been an average of 1.1 deaths per year, even including the 2022 crash. There were no US air show deaths in 2023 or 2025, and a spectator hasn’t been killed at an air show in the US since 1952.

“Safety-wise, we’ve enjoyed really an unprecedented term of few accidents,” Cudahy said.

Investigators may be able to quickly get an idea of what happened in Sunday’s crash because the crews of both planes survived and will be able to tell investigators what they saw and experienced before the collision. The Navy will lead the investigation, so there won’t be as much information shared publicly as in civilian crashes.

The Iran war has led to the cancellation of some air shows this year at bases where military units are flying missions related to the conflict.

Mann, Western Command chief discuss border security, civil- military coordination

J&K L-G Manoj Sinha inaugurates ‘Shaurya Gatha’ complex in Karnah

Pakistan Conducts Training Launch of Fatah‑4 Ground‑Launched Cruise Missile

India Condemns Attack On Indian‑Flagged Vessel Off Oman, Crew Rescued Safely

IAF veteran, who took up voluntary teaching, feted:awarded with Dr BM Munjal Social Impact Award-2026 Pakistan’s Activates Multiple Restricted Air Corridors After India Successfully Tests Agni MIRV ICBM

The covenant and the contract

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Balochistan: Armed groups kill 14 Pakistani soldiers in coordinated attacks

Iran is finished, should make deal to end war: Trump after talks with Xi Jinping

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday stressed the need for stronger civil-military coordination in the border state during his meeting with General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Western Command Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh.

Published on: May 15, 2026 6:22 AM IST

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday stressed the need for stronger civil-military coordination in the border state during his meeting with General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Western Command Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh.

During the meeting, both sides focused on expediting ongoing projects in border areas and evolving a coordinated framework to tackle emerging security and humanitarian challenges in the border state.

“Both sides agreed that priority will be accorded to completing all ongoing projects in border areas to further strengthen the operational capability of the armed forces,” an official release said.

Mann said Punjab shares a 550km international border and therefore close civil-military cooperation was crucial for the state.

Discussions on issues related to border management, internal security, youth empowerment, rehabilitation of Agniveers, and land acquisition matters linked to operational preparedness were also held.

Issues related to disaster management, recruitment in the armed forces, and welfare initiatives, including housing projects for serving army personnel and veterans, were also deliberated upon.

Will erase blot of drugs from Punjab: Mann

BATALA Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday asserted that the Punjab government will erase the “blot of drugs” from the state at any cost.

Addressing an anti-drug awareness programme dedicated to the 38th ‘Gurugaddi Divas’ of Sant Trilochan Das in Batala, Mann said the ongoing ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign has delivered a blow to the narcotics network.

“Over 63,707 drug smugglers have been arrested in 437 days since the launch of the campaign, and illegal properties built through drug money are being demolished across the state,” the chief minister said.

Mann said the fight against drugs and organised crime had now become a people’s movement, with every citizen standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the government.

He also highlighted the simultaneous crackdown under the anti-gangster campaign, ongoing welfare measures for women and healthcare, and credited the strict anti-beadbi law enacted by the state government for bringing an end to incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in the state.

Referring to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, Mann said, “This Act will ensure that such unfortunate incidents are prevented in the future.”

n a major boost to border tourism and cultural preservation in the Karnah region of north Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday inaugurated the ‘Shaurya Gatha’ Complex at SM Hill.

Officials described the initiative as a significant milestone in the promotion of battlefield tourism, heritage preservation and border area development.

According to a statement, the Lieutenant Governor applauded the Northern Command, Chinar Corps and all officers, soldiers, engineers, workers and local residents for completing the prestigious project within a short span of time.

He said the brave soldiers who laid down their lives defending the nation should remain a source of pride and inspiration for every Indian.

“The dedication of our forces and people is the true strength of the nation. The Shaurya Gatha Complex stands as a tribute to the valour and sacrifices of Indian soldiers. This initiative will create new opportunities for border tourism, homestays, local crafts and youth entrepreneurship,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He also highlighted the contrast between development on this side of the Line of Control and the situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, stating that Jammu and Kashmir was witnessing an era of peace, progress and prosperity, while PoJK continued to suffer from neglect and misgovernance.

The Lt Governor reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and will always remain an integral part of India.”

“Jammu and Kashmir is moving forward on all fronts of development. There is renewed self-confidence and society is more prosperous and peaceful than ever before,” he said.

He observed that initiatives such as promotion of valour sites under the Bharat Rannbhoomi Darshan initiative would usher in economic growth and prosperity in the Tangdhar-Karnah region while showcasing its rich defence legacy and culture.

Sinha said seven villages in Tangdhar and Karnah had been included under the Vibrant Village Programme to ensure improved infrastructure, livelihood opportunities and quality of life.

Highlighting the importance of the Sadhna Tunnel, he said the project would significantly improve connectivity, security and economic activity in the region by providing all-weather access and facilitating trade, education, healthcare and disaster response.

The L-G also praised the Army for its contribution to the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir campaign. “Tangdhar remains a strategic location where our neighbour persistently attempts to escalate narco-smuggling activities. The development of an airport-like facility by the Army in the region will serve as a critical asset in our mission against drug smuggling,” he said.

Pakistan has claimed that it has conducted a fresh training launch of its Fatah‑4 ground‑launched cruise missile, organised by the Army Rocket Force Command. The missile, equipped with modern avionics and navigational systems, demonstrated long‑range precision targeting and validated multiple technical parameters, defence experts believe that the missile has Chinese origins.

The Pakistan Army confirmed that the Fatah‑4 cruise missile was test‑fired on Thursday under the supervision of the Rocket Force Command. According to the statement issued by the Inter‑Services Public Relations (ISPR), the missile is fitted with advanced avionics and state‑of‑the‑art navigational aids, enabling it to engage long‑range targets with high precision.

The test was conducted to enhance the operational efficiency of troops and to validate the technical parameters of various sub‑systems integrated into the weapon system. These sub‑systems were designed to improve accuracy and survivability, ensuring the missile’s reliability in operational conditions.

Senior officers of the Army Rocket Force Command, along with scientists and engineers from the missile’s development agency, were present during the launch. 

The Fatah‑4 missile has a reported range of approximately 750 kilometres, as demonstrated in earlier training launches conducted in September 2025. The latest test builds upon a series of missile trials under the Fatah program. In May 2025, Pakistan tested a surface‑to‑surface missile with a range of 120 kilometres during heightened tensions with India.

India Strategic Analysis

More recently, in April 2026, the Army Rocket Force Command carried out a training launch of the Fateh‑2 missile system, while the Pakistan Navy successfully fired another Chinese sourced Taimoor air‑launched cruise missile, an indigenous anti‑ship weapon system. These sequential trials reflect a pattern of continuous testing and validation across Pakistan’s missile development initiatives.

The ISPR noted that the Fatah‑4 trial was part of ongoing efforts to enhance operational readiness and ensure the credibility of Pakistan’s strategic forces.

The exercise was described as a crucial step in validating the missile’s survivability features and ensuring its effectiveness in real operational scenarios. The leadership’s collective endorsement underscored the importance of the test in the broader context of Pakistan’s defence posture.

India has strongly condemned the recent attack on an Indian‑flagged commercial vessel off the coast of Oman, describing the incident as unacceptable and reiterating its firm stance on safeguarding freedom of navigation and civilian maritime activity amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal issued a statement deploring the continued targeting of commercial shipping and civilian mariners in regional waters, stressing that such actions undermine international maritime security and stability.

The Ministry confirmed that all Indian crew members aboard the vessel are safe following rescue efforts carried out by Omani authorities. India expressed gratitude to Oman for its swift intervention, noting that the safety of Indian seafarers remains a paramount concern.

The statement emphasised that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, must be avoided, as such acts threaten global trade and energy supply chains.

The incident comes against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Gulf region, where maritime security has become increasingly fragile near key international shipping lanes. Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a separate maritime security incident in the Gulf, involving the reported seizure of a vessel near the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

According to UKMTO, the incident occurred approximately 38 nautical miles northeast of Fujairah, where the Company Security Officer of the vessel reported that unauthorised personnel had boarded the ship while it was at anchor. The vessel was subsequently taken over and directed towards Iranian territorial waters.

UKMTO stated that investigations into the incident are ongoing and advised vessels operating in the region to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

This advisory underscores the heightened risks faced by commercial shipping in the Gulf, where multiple incidents in recent weeks have raised concerns about the safety of maritime trade routes and the potential for escalation.

India’s condemnation of the attack reflects its broader diplomatic engagement in ensuring maritime security, particularly given its dependence on energy imports and the large number of Indian nationals working in the Gulf region.

India has consistently called for restraint, dialogue, and respect for international law in addressing maritime disputes and incidents. The latest attack highlights the vulnerability of civilian shipping in contested waters and reinforces India’s position that freedom of navigation must be upheld to protect global commerce and the lives of seafarers.

Geopolitical Analysis India

The Ministry’s statement aligns with India’s wider diplomatic efforts to safeguard maritime trade and ensure the safety of its citizens abroad, while also signalling concern over the broader instability in the Gulf region.

ANI

Wing Commander JS Bhalla (retd), a voluntary teacher of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, Chandigarh, was awarded with Dr BM Munjal Social Impact Award-2026 in New Delhi.

He was felicitated with a trophy and a cash award of Rs 1 lakh for his contribution towards teaching excellence and nation-building through education.

At the age of 88, Wg Cdr Bhalla continues to serve society with remarkable dedication by teaching Class XII students and inspiring them through discipline, patriotism and moral values. His efforts over the past decade helped hundreds of students, achieve outstanding results in board examinations.